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Flight MH370 to Beijing was, by all accounts, unremarkable until it vanished. A little over two hours out of Kuala Lumpur, as passengers – including five children under six and a group of 24 Chinese artists – attempted to sleep on the overnight "red eye", the Boeing 777 disappeared from radar screens without any indication it had experienced technical problems.
In the Chinese capital, almost six hours went by as friends and families of the 227 passengers on board, from 14 different countries, were told the Malaysia Airlines flight was "delayed". Then, what had been apparent for many hours was finally confirmed yesterday: all the passengers, and 12 crew, were feared dead. The youngest passenger on board was a US citizen, Yan Zhang, aged two.
The only remains of the Boeing 777-200 jet were two oil slicks in the Gulf of Thailand, spotted by the Vietnamese Air Force. One slick off the southern tip of Vietnam was reported to be 12 miles long. They were both said to be consistent with what would be expected from fuel left by a crashed airliner.
According to reports, the flight was "stable" at 35,000ft half way between Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City at around 1.30am before it disappeared off the radar where the South China Sea meets the Gulf of Thailand. Sources in China said radar data suggested a "steep and sudden descent" of the aircraft.
Show all 115 1 /115The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force Illyushin Il-76 flies over on its final approach to Perth International Airport having just completed a search mission trying to locate missing Malaysia Airways flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft flies out from Perth International Airport to help in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A Japanese P3 Orion takes off from RAAF Pearce as part of a search to locate missing Malaysia Airways Flight MH370 on April 15, 2014 in Perth, Australia. The search continues as an oil slick has been discovered in the search area in the Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Press Conference Malaysian Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein speaks during a media conference at the 14th Defence Services Asia exhibition in Kuala Lumpur
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives Relatives of Chinese passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines 370 walk out from a video-conference with Malaysian officials in protest at the difficulties of communications in Beijing
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Crew members aboard the Australian Navy ship 'HMAS Success' work as linesmen as they conduct a refuelling in the southern Indian Ocean in order to continue their search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Phoenix International workers Chris Minor (R) and Curt Newport inspect the U.S. Navyís Bluefin 21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) before deployment in the southern Indian Ocean to look for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Operators aboard ADF Ocean Shield move US Navys Bluefin-21 into position for deployment in the search of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Using side scan sonar, the Bluefin will descend to a depth of between 4,000 and 4,500 meters, approximately 35 meters above the ocean floor and will spend up to 16 hours at this depth collecting data, before potentially moving to other likely search areas.
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search HMAS Success conducts a Replenishment at Sea with United States Navy Ship (USNS) Cesar Chavez, as USNS Cesar Chavez's helicopter, a Super Puma, conducts a Vertical Replenishment at Sea onto HMAS Success' flight deck, during Operation in the Southern Indian Ocean, in search of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search HMA Ships Success and Toowoomba conduct a Replenishment at Sea with United States Navy Ship (USNS) Cesar Chavez, whilst on Operation Southern Indian Ocean, in search of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Survey ship HMS Echo, as a Lockheed P-3 Orion flies overhead, in the southern Indian Ocean helping in the underwater search for the flight recorder from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Crew on board survey ship HMS Echo in the southern Indian Ocean helping in the underwater search for the flight recorder from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search The hunt for the black box from missing flight is proving "challenging", but the crew of a Royal Navy ship are working 24/7 in their efforts to help the search, their captain has said
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Seen from the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) P-3K2-Orion aircraft, a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) is deployed from the Australian ship HMAS Perth after it was guided into position by the RNZAF aircraft to recover a red object during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in flight over the Indian Ocean off the coast of Perth
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Co-pilot and Squadron Leader Brett McKenzie of the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) P-3K2-Orion aircraft, helps to look for objects during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in flight over the Indian Ocean off the coast of Perth
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Gunner Richard Brown (L) of Transit Security Element looks through binoculars as he stands on lookout with other crew members aboard the Australian Navy ship HMAS Perth as they continue to search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Crew aboard the Australian Navy ship HMAS Perth watch lines as they are refuelled by HMAS Success during a replenishment at sea, as they continue to search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A submarine built by Bluefin Robotics is lowered into the water by systems engineer Cheryl Mierzwa in Quincy. Bluefin Robotics shipped a version of their submarine to help locate the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, by using its side-scan sonar
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Seaman Georgina Brooks signals HMAS Success for a replishement at sea (RAS) on the starboard bridge wing of HMAS Perth as part of Operation Southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion fly past the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield on a mission to drop sonar buoys to assist in the acoustic search in support of Operation Southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A fast response craft from Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield tows Able Seaman Clearance Diver Michael Arnold as he searches the ocean for debris in the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Crew members ride a fast response craft from the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield as they continue to search for debris in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives A family member cries as she and other relatives pray during a candlelight vigil for passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at Lido Hotel in Beijing
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Flight Engineer conducts a pre-flight check on a P-3K2 Orion's wingspan prior to its departure from RAAF Base Pearce, located near Perth, as they prepare to participate in the search in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search The Bluefin 21 Artemis autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) being hoisted back on board the Australian navy vessel Ocean Shield after successful buoyancy testing in the Indian Ocean. Joint Task Force 658 is supporting Operation Southern Indian Ocean, searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Commander James Lybrand (R), Mission Commander on the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, with Captain Nick Woods (C), master of the ship during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Crew on the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Lekiu looking at the HMAS Success as the ships complete a replenishment at sea whilst taking part in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Australian Defence shows a helicopter leaving the flight deck of HMAS SUCCESS as it completes a replenishment at Sea with Royal Malaysian Navy frigate KD Lekiu whilst taking part in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Australia's Defence Department shows Lieutenant Kedar Shah (R) presenting the commanding officer (L-name unavailable) of the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Lekiu with a plaque on behalf of the HMAS SUCCESS after both ships completed a "Replenishment at Sea" whilst taking part in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search The towed pinger locator is deployed off the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, in the Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search (L-R) Mike Unzicker, Andrew Vachon (Bluefin), Charlie Kapica, Chris Minor and Chris 'Sharkie' Moore (Phoenix Team Lead), personel from Phoenix International and Blue Fin with the towed pinger locator (TPL-25) on the deck of Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, in the Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter from Australian Navy ship HMAS Toowoomba unloads supplies on the deck of HMAS Success in the southern Indian Ocean during the continuing search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search HMAS Success readying a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) near dusk following a reported sighting of potential debris in the vicinity during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Press Conference Angus Houston, head of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre leading the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, displays a graphic of the search area during a media conference in Perth
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Malaysian Buddhists offer prayers Malaysian Buddhists offer prayers for passengers onboard missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 in Kuala Lumpur
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives Chinese relatives of the passengers on missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 attend a special prayer at a Buddhist Temple in Petaling Jaya
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives Chinese relatives of passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 prepare to recite prayers for her loved ones at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple in Petaling Jaya
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives Chinese relatives of the passengers on missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 speak to media after holding special prayers at a Buddhist Temple in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search South Korea's Navy Lieutenant Commander Oh Kang-min (R) is pictured wearing a Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 search and rescue team patch on his sleeve as he waits to meet Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott in front of a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft at RAAF Base Pearce near Perth
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is guided around a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft by Australian Air Force Group Commander Craig Heap (2nd L) during his visit to RAAF Base Pearce in Perth
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Warrant Officer Ron Day looks out from the flight deck of a AP-3C Orion as he flies over the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Flight Lieutenant Jayson Nichols looks at a map as he flies aboard a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft searching for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 over the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search AP-3C Orion during a search mission for missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 in the Southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion returns to RAAF base Pearce from a search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 over the southern Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Malaysia Press Conference Malaysian Defense Minister and acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein (L) and Malaysia's Department Civil Aviation Director General, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman (R) show pictures of possible debris during a media conference in Kuala Lumpur
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives Chinese relatives of the flight MH370 gesture in protest as they sit on the bus waiting to go to the Malaysian embassy in Beijing. Hundreds of protesters, including many relatives of missing flight MH370 passengers, marched on the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing demanding answers from Malaysian authorities about the fate of the flight
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Indonesian Relatives Suwarni the mother of Sugianto Lo, who was onboard the Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 with his wife Vinny, shows her son's family portraits at her residence in Medan, North Sumatra
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Malaysia Press Conference Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (C) makes an announcement on the latest development on the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 plane
Reuters
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Chinese Relatives Chinese relatives of passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, flight MH370, shout in protest as they march towards the Malaysia embassy in Beijing
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing flight MH370 Distraught relatives of missing passengers on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 weep after hearing the news that the plane plunged into Indian Ocean
AFP/Getty Images
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Search for debris Graphic shows the latest search efforts of planes scouring the southern Indian Ocean for debris
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Satellite images The satellite picture from CCTV NEWS, the English news channel of China Central Television
CCTV News
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Acting Australian Prime Minister Warren Truss walks with RAAF Wing Commander James Parton and RAAF Group Captain Craig Heap after inspecting a P-3 Orion aircraft
Paul Kane/Getty Images
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Flight Leuitenant Neville (Smokey) Dawson discusses the search area with Flight Officer Brittany Sharpe on board a Royal Australian Airforce AP-3C Orion
Justin Benson-Cooper - Pool/Getty Images
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search The Australian Maritime Safety Authority map of the planned search area for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 on March 21, 2014
AMSA/Getty Images
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Royal Australian Air Force Loadmasters, Sergeant Adam Roberts (L) and Flight Sergeant John Mancey (R), preparing to launch a Self Locating Data Marker Buoy from a C-130J Hercules aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean as part of the Australian Defence Force's assistance to the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 search Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Flight Leiutenant Neville Dawson (C) monitors his instruments aboard the Royal Australian Airforce AP-3C Orion, some 2,500 km southwest of Perth, over the Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Malaysian Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussin (2-L), Malaysia's special envoy to China , Ong Ka Ting (2-R), Malaysian Airlines CEO Group Ahmad Jauhari Yahya (R) and Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation Director General, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman (L) during a media conference at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Maintenance personnel from No.10 Squadron, No. 92 Wing, conduct post-flight checks after the arrival of an AP-3C Orion to Royal Australian Air Force Base Pearce, Western Australia, following a sortie in support of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority-led search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) Flt. Lt Russell Adams (C), Captain of an RAAF AP-3C Orion from 92 Wing gives a brief press conference after arriving back at RAAF base Pearce in Perth, Western Australia after completing a search mission for flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Royal Australian Air Force pilot, Flight Lieutenant Russell Adams from the tenth Squadron, steering his AP-3C Orion over the Southern Indian Ocean during the search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Warrant Officer Ron Day, flight engineer from No.10 Squadron, No. 92 Wing, conducting flight checks on the engine of an AP-3C Orion aircraft at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia, prior to participating in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Family members of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 passengers arrive for a briefing on the current situation at a hotel where other passenger's relatives are in Cyberjaya, outside Kuala Lumpur
Reuters
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Satellite images reveal the large lumps of floating debris
Reuters
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A woman is dragged away by the authorities as she screams
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Crew members look outside windows from a Malaysian Air Force CN235 aircraft during a search and rescue (SAR) operation to find the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 plane over the Strait of Malacca
AFP/Getty
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A message for pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah, captain of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, is pictured at an event to express solidarity to the family members of passengers onboard the plane
Reuters
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Malaysian Defense Minister and acting Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussin, right, and Malaysia's Department Civil Aviation Director General, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, left, attend a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner The search area has expanded massively to include the territory of a dozen countries
REUTERS
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Police drove to the residential compound in Malaysia where the missing plane's pilot Fariq Abdul Hami lives, according a guard and local reporters
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A Royal Malaysian Navy Fennec helicopter prepares to depart to aid in the search and rescue efforts for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane over the Straits of Malacca, Malaysia
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Taiwan has sent three coast guard patrol ships, several P-130 military transport planes and a frigate to join in the search, and will dispatch another frigate to join in the search
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Soldier discuss the search plan at the Pingtung Air Base in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A soldier looking out for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane from a Taiwan Air Force C-130 military transport plane over the South China Sea
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Taiwan Navy's La Fayette-class frigate Cheng De prepare to leave Tsoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Rescue members use binoculars to look for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner An Indonesian air force personnel during a search mission for a Malaysian Airlines aircraft on board of a military surveillance airplane over the Malacca straits
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Commander Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar (L), Lieutenant General Dato' Sri Ackbal bin Hj Abdul Samad (2nd L), Malaysian Defence Minister, Minister of Defence & (Acting) Minister of Transport Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (2nd R), and Malaysian Defence Forces chief Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin discuss their strategy during a search and rescue mission flight in Kuala Lumpur
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Vietnamese Navy's Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Le Minh Thanh (R) points at a map to show the area where Vietnam is conducting search activities for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 in Phu Quoc island
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner People from Vietnam tie messages expressing hope for family members and those on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in Kuala Lumpur
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Crew members of a Vietnamese Air Force helicopter walk upon returning from their search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A Vietnamese Air Force helicopter lands at Ca Mau airport after searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner The mother of missing Firman Chandra Siregar (R) is comforted by a relative as they wait for the news of the missing plane at their house in Medan, Indonesia
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Two men look out window inside a Vietnamese Air Force plane during search and rescue operations for a missing Malaysian Airlines flight, off Vietnam's Tho Chu island
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Ships are seen from a flying Soviet-made AN-26 of the Vietnam Air Force during a search operation for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 over the South China Sea
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Chinese students hold up a signed banner calling for more help for relatives of victims from the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 plane in Beijing
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Cameramen and photographers taking aerial pictures during a search flight over the southern seas off the coast of Vietnam for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A journalist takes pictures of an ethnic Tibetan delegate after she was given a placard to hold outside the Great Hall of the People before the third plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. The placard reads 'Pray for the passengers of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370'
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Personnel from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) scanning the seas about 140 nautical miles north-east of Kota Baru, Malaysia, for any signs of the Malaysia Airlines plane which went missing
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Oil slicks seen from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) plane scanning the seas about 140 nautical miles north-east of Kota Baru, Malaysia, for any signs of the Malaysia Airlines plane which went missing
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner An iPad is used as an equipment to support orientation by a military official inside a Vietnamese Air Force plane during search and rescue operations for a missing Malaysian Airlines flight, off Vietnam's Tho Chu island
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Malaysia aviation authorities say the search for the missing jet will not stop until the aircraft is located: 'There is no time frame in the search operations'
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner An Indonesian relative of victims from the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 grieves at the Soekarno Hatta airport in Jakarta before departing for Kuala Lumpur
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Vietnamese military personnel prepare a helicopter for a search and rescue mission for the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 off Vietnam's southern coastline, at a military base on the southern island of Phu Quoc
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78, Det 2, assigned to the guided-missile Destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91), lands aboard Pinckney during a crew swap before returning on task in the search and rescue for the missing Malaysian airlines flight MH370 at sea in the Gulf of Thailand
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Hugh Dunleavy (C) Head of commercial - Malaysia Airlines speaks to media at Lido Hotel in Beijing
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Taiwanese Buddhist nuns and monks and Malaysian monks praying for those on board the missing Malaysian Airlines' aircraft at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Admiral Datuk Mohd Amdan Kurish, Director General of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, looks at a radar screen while searching for a missing Malaysia Airlines plane in the South China Sea
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Vietnamese air force crew stand in front of a plane at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before heading out to the sea area between Vietnam and Malaysia where a Malaysian airliner vanished
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Malaysian coast guard ship during search and rescue operations for a missing Malaysian Airlines flight off the coast of Malaysia
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Director General of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Admiral Mohd Amdan Kurish (left) briefs his officers before the start of searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane at Pasir Puteh in Kelantan, Malaysia
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A patrol vessel of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency searches for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane off Tok Bali Beach in Kelantan, Malaysia
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A member of the Chinese navy stands next to Chinese navy warship "Jinggangshan" as it prepares to leave for the search and rescue operations of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
Reuters
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A view of oil slicks spotted in an area of the South China Sea near Tok Bali Beach in Malaysia's Kelantan state
Reuters
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Members of a Special Assistance Team from Malaysia arrive at a hotel where relatives of passengers of a missing Malaysia Airlines plane are meeting in Beijing, China. A total of 22 aircraft and 40 ships are combing the South China Sea to locate the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Members of a Special Assistance Team from Malaysia arrive at a hotel where relatives of passengers of a missing Malaysia Airlines plane are meeting in Beijing, China
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A Vietnamese air force pilot at the controls during the search and rescue operations
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Senior management spokesman for Malaysia Airlines, Ignatius Ong (right), speaks during a press conference in Beijing, China
EPA
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A relative of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 cries out at a local hotel where families are gathered
GETTY IMAGES
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A family member of passengers aboard a missing Malaysia Airlines plane is mobbed by journalists at Kuala Lumpur International Airport
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A woman, center, surrounded by media covers her mouth on her arrival at a hotel which is prepared for relatives or friends of passengers aboard a missing airplane, in Beijing, China Saturday, March 8, 2014. A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 carrying 239 people lost contact over the South China Sea early Saturday morning on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, and international aviation authorities still hadn't located the jetliner several hours later
AP Photo/Andy Wong
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Family members gather to wait for the latest information on the search of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 jetliner that went missing over the South China Sea
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner A Chinese relative of the passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines plane passes a demand letter for the airlines, signed by other relatives, to the media at a hotel, in Beijing, China
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Family members comfort Chrisman Siregar (left) and his wife Herlina Panjaitan, the parents of Firman Siregar, one of the Indonesian citizens thought to have boarded the Malaysia Airlines jetliner
AP
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane Missing Malaysian airliner Members of Fo Guang Shan rescue team offer a special prayer for passengers aboard a missing plane, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia
AP
Malaysia Airlines' chief executive, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, said there was no indication that the pilots had sent a distress signal, suggesting whatever happened to the plane occurred quickly. Lai Xuan Thanh, director of Vietnam's civil aviation authority, said air traffic officials there never made contact with the plane.
The airliner "lost all contact and radar signal one minute before it entered Vietnam's air traffic control", said Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, deputy chief of staff of the Vietnamese Army.
Some 15 aircraft and nine ships were involved in the search for the wreckage yesterday, with the area of the sea operation being enlarged. However, there had been little sign of a crash other than the oil slicks. "We are doing everything in our power to locate the plane," Malaysia's acting transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, told reporters. "Today, all Malaysians stand in solidarity with those on flight MH370 and their loved ones," said the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak.
Territorial disputes over the South China Sea were temporarily set aside as China dispatched two rescue ships and the Philippines deployed three airforce planes and three navy patrol ships. "In times of emergencies like this, we have to show unity of efforts that transcends boundaries and issues," said Lt Gen Roy Deveraturda, commander of the Philippine military's Western Command.
The unease surrounding the mysterious crash was increased yesterday by the revelation that two names listed on the flight manifest matched passports reported stolen in Thailand, according to officials in Rome and Vienna. Luigi Maraldi, an Italian man whose name was listed as being on board, was not on the flight, and had reported his passport stolen last August.
The Austrian foreign ministry confirmed that a name listed on the manifest matched an Austrian passport reported stolen two years ago in Thailand. There was only one Austrian on the passenger list: Christian Kozel, aged 30.
Relatives of people on board the plane are surrounded by press as the tragedy unfolds Meanwhile, relatives of the 152 Chinese nationals waited anxiously for news at the Lido hotel in Beijing, as China's leaders called for speedy and vigorous search and rescue efforts to locate the aircraft. The flight was due to arrive in the city at 6.30am local time yesterday.
President Xi Jinping ordered China's ministry of foreign affairs as well as Chinese embassies and consulates to strengthen contact with departments of relevant countries and pay close attention to the search and rescue work for the plane, the Chinese Xinhua news agency reported. "All-out efforts must be made for any emergency treatment necessary in the aftermath of the incident," President Xi said.
Anxiety is running high in China. Yesterday's crash came less than a week after 33 people were killed by 10 knife-wielding assailants in Kunming railway station in a coordinated terror attack. This was blamed on separatists from the province of Xinjiang.
The 227 plane passengers included 38 Malaysians, seven Indonesians, six Australians, five Indians, four French and three Americans. Jessie Yee Wai Ching was supposed to be on board the flight but missed it after getting the wrong departure time. She told the Malaysian television channel Astro Awani: "I feel blessed and like I'm the lucky one, but it still doesn't overcome the awful feeling that I have for the people on that flight. I believe I've been given a second chance."
The arrivals board at Beijing Chinese media reports were highly critical of the airline for waiting hours to say the plane was missing and not holding a news conference for almost 13 hours after the plane went off the radar. Relatives complained about the slow flow of information. "They're treating us worse than dogs," said one. There were reports that the plane had crashed into waters off Vietnam's southern Phu Quoc Island, which were subsequently rejected.
Malaysia Airlines has a good safety record, as does the 777, which had not had a fatal crash in its 19-year history until an Asiana Airlines plane crashed in San Francisco in 2013, killing three passengers. "Boeing offers its deepest concern to the families of those aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370," said the company in a statement. "Boeing is assembling a team to provide technical assistance to investigating authorities."
Lost at sea
Yesterday's mysterious downing of an airliner was compared to a crash in June 2009, when Air France Flight 447, an Airbus 300, travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, crashed into the Atlantic killing all 216 passengers and 12 crew. The flight disappeared mid-ocean, beyond radar coverage and in total darkness, causing Air France to take six hours to concede its loss. No other airliner has vanished so completely in modern times. A report in 2012 found that a combination of technical faults and human error led to the crash. Heavy turbulence caused air-speed sensors to malfunction while the captain was taking a rest break and the plane began to stall. Investigators finally discovered the debris in 2011.
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